With Love
by Wintreaux
Summary: Story prompt: Flowers. It's the day after Valentine's Day - Sheldon/Penny - ONESHOT -


**Dedicated to Niffler91, for giving me the story prompt: flowers. **

**Also disclaimer: I did not write that poem. Its from**** familyfriends (dot com)**

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**With Love**

She couldn't help but look out the window of her apartment building, there were couples holding hands, laughing, and having a good time. Genuinely. The smile on the redhead's face wasn't forced, her eyes glowed with happiness and joy, as her boyfriend kissed the back of her hand. The couple continued their walk, his arm draped around her as he held her into his side. Protectively.

She wished she could have that. She wished she _did_ have that.

It was the day after Valentine's Day, and love was still in the air. Not for her though.

She was dating Leonard, and while it was still under beta test, he didn't really put any effort into the day. He did take her out for dinner, but it wasn't anywhere new or fancy. He took her to the same restaurant they go every time, the Szechuan Palace. While she was grateful, she wasn't jumping for joy. She thought she deserved more than the typical. She was actually getting her life together for once. She was back in school for her BA, and she was actually doing good. Meanwhile, she was taking on shifts at the Cheesecake Factory, and trying to calculate her finances accordingly (with Sheldon's help). She was proud of herself for once, and when Valentine's Day rolled around, she was happy. She booked this one day off from work and allowed herself to be pampered with a mani-pedi day, she even got her hair highlighted. Everything was going great until Leonard arrived at her door.

He was late, and he brought her roses, and while the sentiment was nice, it wasn't what she had expected. She told him what her favorite flowers were, and he let it slip accidentally that he had gone way too last minute to buy her flowers, everything else was already sold out and they had to struggle to even gather enough roses to make her bouquet. Her mood was immediately soured at that, but still, she brought the roses in and set them in a vase. She had to force her smile the rest of the night, because nothing went right after that.

During dinner, he had accidentally consumed dairy and had to take his pills immediately before going to the bathroom for ten minutes. She practically ate dinner on her own. She didn't miss Mr. Chen's stare from behind the counter. She just wanted to go home at that point. He did apologize though, profusely. That was nice.

They reached the apartments and went to hers, because Sheldon was still in his. They had wine, and honestly that had to be the best part of the night for her. When she got home, she noticed the roses were already wilting and she had to stop herself from asking just how long they were out of water because _that_ shouldn't be happening.

She should've known he would try to initiate sex, that was what he loved most about her anyways. She had learned to accept that. So, she let him kiss her and touch her in ways she wasn't feeling up to tonight. He led her to her bedroom (couldn't pick her up because he was the same height as her and last time, she ended up hitting her head on the doorframe because he couldn't see over her head), and he had his way with her. And honestly that would've been a great way to end the night, but he had to open his mouth and say,

"Will you marry me?"

She kicked him out, angry. They were on beta-test, and he proposes? He stuttered over himself, and said he didn't mean it, and apologized, and begged to just pretend the last few minutes never happened. _But they did_, she told him, a fire in her eyes. She closed the door in his face. The last thing she wanted was to be tied to a man who didn't know her at all.

He didn't understand her, and he didn't attempt to even try to. She knew he probably only saw her for her body, no, she knew that was all he saw her for. He didn't care about her education or her trying to better herself because he would whine when she had to cancel a date to go to class, he even begged her to take online classes that way she could spend more time with him. She was a hands-on learner, she needed motivation. If she did online classes, she wouldn't even attempt to do good, she'd end up online shopping instead. He knew that, all their friends knew that, but he didn't care. One night during Pizza night, he joked that when they get married, she wouldn't have to worry about working, he'd support them and their family. She wanted to hit him. While she didn't make a lot of money, she enjoyed working. She enjoyed getting her own paycheck and calling it her own. It gave her a sense of pride.

Especially when her closest friends were all geniuses.

So no, he didn't get her.

She went to bed crying that night. She would end the beta-test in the morning, she was already on the right path to bettering her life and the last thing she had to do was end things with her long time on-and-off boyfriend. She knew it would cause tension within the group, Amy thought she couldn't do any better, and she swear Bernadette thought so too. But she had to.

So, as she stood by her window glancing down at all the happy couples below her, she couldn't help but feel some sort of sadness. She didn't want to be alone. But she knew she wasn't in the right place for a relationship (or maybe just one with Leonard). She knew he was out with Howard and Raj right now, and thought it was the perfect time to end things, he couldn't come barging into her apartment. So, she sent him a text, _I can't do this anymore. The beta-test is over._

Within three minutes, there was a knock on the door. She thought it was Leonard but heard two more followed by the call of her name, and she smiled.

"Hey Moonpie."

He had long since given up scolding her for that, she would never listen.

"You've finally ended things with Leonard?"

She was confused, how did he know this already? He pulled out his cellphone and showed her where Leonard had texted him, asking if she was home and if he could talk her back into getting with him because she knew she trusted his opinion. She frowned at this; it was true out of all the guys she valued Sheldon's opinion a lot more. Was he really going to lecture her about leaving Leonard?

"Are you here to talk me back into getting with Leonard?" Her voice was unsteady, and she didn't know why but she was prepared to get angry if he said yes.

He looked at her though, his blue eyes calculating, "Is this for real this time?" She paused, thought about it, and then nodded, "Yes. I'm tired of compromising myself to fit his agenda."

Sheldon nodded, "Then in that case, I have something for you."

Before she could reply, he was disappearing into his apartment again. She rolled her eyes and went to sit on her sofa, leaving her door ajar so he could easily walk back inside whenever he came back. She had learned over the years that Sheldon was weird, and smart, and tall, and just all around odd. But he was a genuine guy, and he always did have your best interest at heart (well his friends), whether he knew how to voice his opinion nicely or not. So, she quickly became well versed in _Sheldonese_. She could translate most things he said into human speak, and once she did that, she realized just how caring the tall man was.

She was brought out of her thoughts when all she saw was yellow, she blinked multiple times before her eyes focused.

"Oh…" she trailed off and grabbed the stems, "Sheldon," she smiled sweetly, "These are beautiful."

She held the yellow tulips in her hands and examined the bouquet. "These are my favourite."

He nodded, "I'm aware."

"But why? When?"

He sat beside her, "I got them for you after I woke up on Valentine's Day, my mother told me it's always nice to get the lady in your life flowers. It's the respectable thing to do, and she would appreciate it a lot. I didn't understand why, but I know I'm not the most socially capable person around. I thought about the ladies in my life, because there are multiple. Bernadette, though she's more of an acquaintance because I only see her when she's with you or Howard, and even then I don't think it's appropriate for me to give my friend's wife flowers," he stated in a matter-of-fact tone, "Then there's Amy Farrah Fowler, and well, I don't want to give her the wrong impression. I just got her to understand she is only my girl slash friend, and as you would say I don't want to open that can of worms," he frowned at the saying.

She listened to him speak, his face concentrated, "But I'm dating Leonard?"

He shook his head, "Were. You _were _dating Leonard. I was just informed by Leonard that you broke things off, and you said you were serious this time."

She took his words in.

"So, that left you. I brought you the flowers, and I had them in my room. For some reason, I couldn't find the gall to bring it to you, you weren't married, and you are my best friend. But I was…" he trailed off looking uncomfortable, "For lack of bettering wording, nervous."

She smiled softly and placed a hand on his knee, "There's no need to be nervous around me, Sweetie. I appreciate these so much, they are the best flowers I've received in a very long time." He tilted his head and nodded, accepting her answer, "I do believe you're correct. I see Leonard got you roses, symbolic as they may be, you don't like roses. You think they're tacky and typical, and what's more is those ones are already wilting." He then looked away from the roses and back to Penny, "You should really place those in a vase, they will have a longer life than the roses, but it's still better to take caution."

Her smile widened and she nodded before going to her kitchen counter and dumping the sad roses into the trash can. She filled the vase with clean water, and placed the bright yellow tulips in. "Thank you, Sweetie, I love them."

She really did.

Sheldon nodded his head before standing, "I'm glad I did something correct."

She frowned at that, "You do everything correct." She swore she heard him whisper, _not when it comes to you_, but that just had to be her mind playing tricks on her, "But you said you were nervous, what made you come over here?"

"You left Leonard."

It was a simple explanation, but she still felt her heart rate speed up. She tried masking it, "Thank you again, Sheldon," her voice was husky, and she had to clear her throat and look away from him, "Tonight still Thai night?" Sheldon nodded, "As is every Monday night, Penny."

He moved towards the door but paused, "Please do read the card on the bouquet," and he left.

She frowned but searched for the card anyways. She didn't even notice the paper hanging off the bouquet. She read it silently, a smile forming through her tears.

_They say silence is Golden,  
__I believe it is true,  
__Because in that Golden silence,  
__my thoughts occur of you._

_You are the flame in my candle  
__that lights the darkness of my room,  
__You are the scented flowers  
__that makes my heart full bloom.  
_

_You are the butterflies  
__that flicker in my stomach all day long,  
__When I know I will be holding you  
__before my day is done._

_You are the stars that shimmer and shine,  
__You light up the skies above  
__In this Golden silence  
__it's truly you I love._

_You are the thunder of the night,  
__your lightning strikes whenever,  
__Into my soul that makes me whole,  
__and excites my heart forever._

_You are my paradise, my oc__eans wide,  
__My mountains standing tall._

_So in this Golden Silence  
__I love you most of all._

_Happy Valentine's Day, Penelope._

_With Love, Sheldon._


End file.
